Perhaps it is just me, but lately I'm seeing signs of burnout in myself with this blog. My post quality is dropping off and my attention to my usual topics is wandering. My passion for my writing is getting weaker and I'm finding the mornings harder to face when I get up to write a post. I've had mini-burnouts before this, but they don't really compare to what I'm seeing this time.
So what I need from everyone is some advice. For those bloggers that have been going for a year or two how often did you face this? Does it just come and go? For everyone else, any ideas on facing burnout in general?
Basically I don't want to stop blogging at this point, but I am considering a cut back in posts.
Thanks for your help,
CD
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13 comments:
I understand how you feel - I have not been blogging that long but also know the demands placed on providing quality content on a regular basis.
My suggestion is to never blog when you feel you have to - only do it when you're so inspired. That way you're likely to have a higher longevity as a blogger.
For what it's worth, I read here everyday because you post so regularly...
I'm a recent subscriber so take my advice with a grain of salt, but perhaps you'd get more of a kick writing about some other subject - baseball or gardening or your summer vacation or whatnot - over here for a while. You're a good writer, makes sense to keep up the discipline.
Thanks for the comments so far.
I've actually had a few ideas while driving into work today.
1) Start using more guest posts to take some of pressure off. So if your interested in writing a post for the blog send me a email with your idea (readers and bloggers are both welcome to submit).
2) Start using a summary link post of articles I like once a week similar to CC's This and That posts.
3) By doing the above I should be able to free up some time to write on different projects which should hopefully balance out my time blogging vs other writing.
CD
Hi CD...Investoid has good points, Blog only when you want to blog. I probably seem like a spammer right now because I'm blogging a lot, but I am still blogging when I want to.
I have 0 readers and 0 comments on my blog so I don't the pressures of keeping up my readership levels ;) For me the purpose of my blog is simply to facilitate my investment, tax and saving learning. Long term I hope that my blog is an unfolding story that hopefully becomes more interesting to people, but I doubt that and it's not compelling enough to motivate me. I think that I have learned a ton of stuff in personal finance by reading blogs that I wouldn't have easily learned through books alone, real time, real life stuff.
I don't imagine that my blogging levels will remain the same once we're home owners and have children, and I have my own business interests that I'm pursuing. It won't be the best use of my time.
So, depending on what your goals are maybe you don't need to blog daily. Your energy level will definitely be higher if you blog when you really want to.
Dream,
All bloggers face the same thing. I was actually wondering how you posted so often 5 days a week with quality content.
I've been faced a bit of burnout myself, and what I did was set Friday as a link day to other articles around the web. I'm also in the process of getting guest posters etc. Writing every single day is a job in itself, keep it fun, mix it up!
FT
SavingsJourney - I have been reading your blog the last week or two and I wanted to comment on a couple of posts but I couldn't because I don't have a google account.
CD - I'm not a blogger but I would suggest cutting back a bit. If you can do three posts a week ie every Mon, Wed, Fri (or whatever days suit you) you will still be near the top of the blogosphere in terms of regularity.
It comes and goes. The best advice I can give has already been given -- you should never blog because you feel you have to. Do it when you have something you want to say.
If the quality is good, and yours generally is, your readers will keep popping by and will return to read when you've posted something. Even if there's been a 1-week layoff.
Maybe this will help. On a slower days, I'd put out Jungle Bulletins listing the interesting gems on the web. Similar to MillionDollarJourney's Weekend Readings and Canadian Capitalist's This and That.
Recently, I'm also considering spoiling myself by having an off-topic post once in a while. For example, showing off my photography. I think it should be refreshing as long as I keep it to a minimal of say once per week. It's a good way to let readers get to know the author.
Unless you're blogging for money, it's really important to always blog about things you're passionate about when you're passionate about them.
Blogging for the sake of quantity isn't good over the long haul.
If you're in the business of blogging, it's good to create lists of topics that your readers like and then look for similar blogs, rss feeds, and news events that speak to these topics.
For some people writing is a natural and necessary process. For others it borders on work.
CD
I think you could consider scaling back on your blog frequency.
The only catch is you have to be disciplined enough to meet those days as your loyal readers will expect it (and, after all, you are offering something for free, so we demand to be catered to :-)
The other idea is, if you want to consider it a hobby, why not put aside a couple of hours on a weekend or on a day when you have a lot of energy and prewrite a bunch of entries. That way, you have the ability to pull one up when you don't have the energy or inspiration.
I will keep checking in on you, because I like how you think.
Whatever you decide, good luck.
All the advice everyone else has contributed is good. I just wanted to add a smile of support.
*SMILE*
As a 5 day a week blogger I can relate. It has helped me that my blogging has evolved in different directions within my topic area but I've been there with you.
MD:)
Its natural to have writer's block. It comes and goes. Sometimes, you find it so difficult to string together two sentences that make sense. Other times, the words just tumble out of you. My advice is to just keep plugging away.
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